Digital focus: Technology supporting EDI

Following our recent article on the impact and implications of digital ethics, we continue our focus on the role of technology in equality, diversity and inclusion. In this article, we dive into the most common uses of technology to help meet EDI objectives.

Leveraging technology is crucial for the progression of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) goals within your school. This integration should begin at the onset of an employee’s journey and extend across their entire career. Technology serves as a pivotal tool to mitigate unconscious bias at every stage, from recruitment and induction to performance and development, and through retention and exit processes.

The first point at which technology use can improve subconscious biases is in the recruitment phase. Job descriptions that are inaccurate or contain non-essential specifications might dissuade certain candidates from applying. Schools should proactively ensure that all recruitment materials utilise inclusive language and images. Employing bias-decoding tools, integrated into hiring platforms or specific AI tools, can analyse language and propose changes to prevent underrepresentation and foster a more inclusive hiring process. At all times care must be taken to ensure data is accurate, the assessment criteria are appropriate, and that the decision-making process is fair.

Schools can integrate screening tools to effectively reduce biased decisions. These tools assist in identifying candidates from backgrounds that may be underrepresented, disadvantaged, or subject to discrimination. It is crucial to establish a well-structured technology strategy for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) that incorporates ongoing monitoring and refinement. You should keep a list of interactive key metrics that help measure performance. This should be regularly analysed and information fed back throughout the school network so that all departments can identify areas for improvement.

Technology can further enhance equality, diversity, and inclusion by being employed to explore and implement necessary work adjustments. For example, leveraging data to identify the specific needs of employees with disabilities. This can include identifying opportunities for updating your assets to incorporate things such as specialised keyboards, and speech recognition software. Providing videoconferencing and collaborative online platforms fosters flexible conditions and enhances digital equity within your team, ensuring everyone can actively participate in crucial discussions.

In conclusion, it’s evident that when used appropriately, technology empowers School Business Leaders (SBLs) to enhance their Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) strategy by collecting and applying data that promotes more inclusive and equitable processes. In our upcoming “Focus on Technology” article, we will delve into the advantages and potential challenges of technology in the realm of EDI.

You can read the first article in this series here: https://edexec.co.uk/the-impact-and-implications-of-digital-ethics/